ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. LXV 1811 October 8th - Was intered at Oldham, old Tommy Coupe, formerly of Burnley-lane; age 78 years. The weather during this month as been very fine. The air is very warm, but rather sultry; grass, shrubs, and flowers seem to be making a second efford by showing their flowers and verdure. The roads are dry and pleasant; the commet shines every clear night visible with its accustomed splender, and the farmers are getting up their pottatoes, wich crops seem to be abundant. The price general 8s. a load. October 16th - Oldham fair; in the forenoon wet, but in the afternoon very fine. A deal of company; a large number of horses, horned cattle and swine, wich in general sold at high prices. October 17th – Died in Chaderton Workhouse Siah Hoppood; disorder, a mortification; age, 55 years. A few days since died James Mills, formerly of Bent, but late of Manchester. He was genarly cald Old Butter. And a few days since died at Mosley, far advanced in years, Jonathan Cocker. Deal, October 16th – Arrived from off Flushing Cristine Seventh, San Domingo, Bellerophon, Defiance, Norge, Poictiers, Egmont, Elliphant, Edenborough, Thesius, Valiant, Marlborough, Inconstant, Frigate. October 22nd - Died rather sudden at Oldham, Miss Alice Townson, only child of the late Doctor Townson, of Oldham; her age, 35 years. Oct. 26 - A large cotton factory, situated at Lees, belonging to Mr. Thaceray, was burnt down. October 28 - One Buckley, a lad of about 16 years of age, and lame on a knee, accidentally fell down a coal pit in Werneth, and was killed on the spot. The pit was 143 yards deep. A few weeks since William Rowbottom, hardware man, purchased the premises late Mayalls’, grocers, in Oldham, for £850.
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William Rowbottom of Schoolcroft was evidently a prosperous man at this time, engaged as he was in machine making, and having in his house numerous apprentices, the sons of well-to-do-people, who were instructed in the mystery of machine making. He seems also to have kept a kind of ironmonger’s shop. I believe some of these apprentices still survive or are recently dead. Oct.14 - Last night John Collinson died at Oldham. He genarly went by the name of King of Polland. Disorder, consumption; age, about 58 years. He was a lame man. Nov. 2 - Edward O’Connor entered on the Rose public-house at Springwod, within Chaderton. Nov. 16 - Died at Oldham Workhouse, far advanced in years, Benjamin Needham, formerly of Northmoor; age 81 years. Nov. 15 - Died at Hereford, Sir Watts Horton, Bart., of Chadderton Hall, his age nearly 58 years, he being born Nov 17th, 1753. He was a poor man’s friend and a good neighbour; his disorder, mortification in his toe. Sir Watts was the representative of the ancient aristocratic element in Oldham. He kept up the dignity and style of a gentleman of that period, and in his pew at Oldham Church, was looked on by the common people with feelings of awe. A great gulf was fixed at that time between the rich and poor, and to have had a word with Sir Watts, or even a nod from him, was an event to be remembered for a lifetime. November 19th – Misfortune. With pain I relate last night, about 8 o’clock, as Guy Holland was doing some repairs to the Engine Pit at Streetbridge the rope broke, and he fell to the bottom, a distance of 40 yards, and was so much bruised that he died at one o’clock this morning. He has left a wife and 5 small children to bemoan their unhappy loss. A short time since William Rhodes entered as tennant on the King’s Head public-house, Oldham. November 28th – Last night, at the concert which was for the benefit of Miss Blease And Mr. Hilton, at the Theatre Room, Spread Eagle, Oldham, which was very numerously attended by all the beauty and fashion in the neighbourhood, the gallery with one tremendous crash broke down and all fell to the bottom. Happily no loves were lost, nor limbs broken. Some few were brused, and the audiance was much frightened. Several lost their shawls, bonnets, &c. |
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This theatre was opened only a year before. Mr. Higson says, “S. W. Ryley opened it on the 1st January, 1810.” Ryley was looked on as a character. He had been apprenticed to Mr. William Kenworthy, at Quick, as a woollen clothier, and at the age of twenty had run away with his master’s daughter, aged sixteen, and the two were married at Gretna Green on the 15th September, 1776. He afterwards took to playacting, and wrote the “Itinerant” – a book of considerable local interest as it portrayed the adventures of his rather romantic life. Higson also says that Mrs. Jordon the actress played at this theatre on the 13th January, 1810, and that on the 13th February, R. W. Elliston also graced the boards with his presence. On the 22nd January 1810, “Romeo and Juliet” was performed at this theatre, and on the 26th February “Othello” was played. The Mr. Hilton was a very talented local player of instrumental music, and I was told that some of his family have had a long and honoured connection with the stage. Dec. 2nd - The remains of Sir Watts Horton arived last night at Chaderton, and where intered at Oldham this day, his daughter Miss Horton, and his two brothers Thomas and William Horton attended in a mourning coach. There where three chaises besides with servants and friends in. His lady did not attend the funeral, she being unwell at the time they left Hereford. Dec. 2nd - Richard Summersgill, landlord of the Anchor Inn in Oldham, and a butcher he was by trade, died very suddenly, supposed an apoplexy fit, age 27 years. Dec. 6th - Last night died Anna, wife of Abraham Ogden, of May Gate Lane, formerly of Busk. Disorder, child bed. Dec. 8th - Last night snow fell and frost ensued. Dec. 7th - Last night it began to thaw. Dec. 11th - Was intered at Oldham, Nancy, widdow of John Cheetham, of Middleton, age 55 years. Five publicans where convicted before the Rev. Mr. Hordern, for suffering their customers to play at cards, and each paid the penalty of 40s. with 7s. costs. They where Thomas Jackson of Bent,; James Heap, Priest Hill; Sally Wood, Yorkshire-street; Clay, of Lowermoor, all in Oldham. The penchant for card playing seems inherent in the British race and the fact here noted shows how much like the rest of Britons was the ancient Oldhamer. He had evidently created a nuisance, however, by parading his playing powers in the public-house, and the Rev. Mr. Hordern, one of Her Majesty’s justices, was called on to check the practice.
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December 13th – Died, old James Needham, of Top-o’th’-Moor. December 13th – Last night the Saldanha Frigate, Cap, Pakeman, was lost at Lough Swiglley, Ireland, when all the crew, 300, perrished. December 23rd – A foot race, from Abraham Standering’s, Royal Oak, Maygate-lane, to Harrison’s, Edge-lane, one mile betwixt Kershaw of Royton, Ogden of Lowermoor, for four guineas; won easily by Kershaw; time, 4 min. 58½ sec. On the night of the 7th a barberous murder was committed on the bodys of Mr. Marr, his wife, his child, and prentice boy, at Radcliffe Highway, London, and no trace of the perpetrators of this wicked deed; and the 19th another cruel murder was commited in the same neighbourhood on the bodeys of Mr. Williamson, his wife, and female servant. The perpetrators of this wicked deed left no trace behind. December 25th – Last night it commenced a keen frost. December 27th – A roof day and a fall of snow. December 29th – Being Sunday, Sir Thomas Horton, baronet, of Chaderton Hall, and George Pollard, Esq., his son-in-law, attended divine worship, when a funeral sermon in memory of the late Sir Watts Horton, baronet, was preached by the Rev. Thomas Fawcet, from the 12th chap. 2nd Samuel, 23rd verse. “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast. Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” These were the words of the text. No doubt Sir Watts death was keenly felt both in his family and in the district of Oldham. I always take him to have been the embodiment of Sir Roger de Coverley, and as a magistrate he seems to have dealt even-handed justice, and to have combined the boldness of a lion with the gentleness of a gentleman. December 30th – With pain I have to record another lamentable misfortune wich happened in Werneth this day, John Gibson wile at work in a pit they were sinking. The turn fell down upon him in the pit, and killed him on the spot. He was one of those who a short time since where so miserably burned by the fire-damp in Werneth. He was a Yorkshireman; age 21 years. December 31st – It begun to thaw. The end of the miserable year 1811. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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